Trending 6th November 2024 by Jade Hayden

How Trump’s Win Will Affect Women’s & LGBTQ+ Rights In The US

Trump is set for a second term in office

Following a lengthy and oftentimes tense campaign, Donald Trump is set to win the 2024 US Presidential election.

Trump has secured more states than opponent Kamala Harris, and has already been declared the winner by multiple networks.

Many had hoped that after a strong bid for the Presidency, a Harris victory would be on the way.

Not only would this have made Harris the first woman – and first Black woman – President the US has ever had, but it would also ensure that the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people remained a priority for the next government.

That, however, has not happened, and now countless Americans are left concerned about their rights, access to healthcare, and more.

While it is impossible to know exactly what a second Trump term will mean for women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, there are some issues that have remained prominent during this year’s campaign.

Abortion rights

The US Supreme Court already overturned Roe v Wade in 2022, meaning that the right to safe and legal abortion was no longer protected under the constitution.

This move allowed many states to ban abortion entirely, except in case of emergencies, leaving thousands of people without appropriate access to proper healthcare.

Trump’s policies on a national ban on abortion remain unclear, as he has consistently changed his mind on the issue.

However, many campaigners and women’s rights groups fear that a federal ban on abortion could be in the pipeline.

As it stands, more than 28 million women and trans people of reproductive age live in states where they don’t have access to reproductive care.

Immigrant rights 

Throughout his first term and subsequent 2024 campaign, Trump has made his stance on immigration very clear.

He repeatedly led chants of “Mass deportations now!” at his rallies, and if re-elected, promised to introduce to largest deportation operation in American history.

Trump has also outlined a strict travel ban pertaining mainly to those travelling from Muslim countries to the United States.

There remain concerns that these policies will overwhelming affect women and children seeking asylum, as well as minority groups, who Trump dubs an “invasion.”

LGBTQ+ rights

America made marriage equality a reality in 2015, but with a second Trump Presidency on the horizon, there are fears that this right could be challenged.

Trump’s ‘Project 2025’ plan alludes to the support of “heterosexual, intact marriage” and “formation of stable, married, nuclear families.”

It also states that healthcare workers and adoption agencies should be permitted to deny services to those who don’t match the “biblically based” definitions of marriage, under the guise of religion.

The most pressing matter for many members of the LGBTQ+ community, however, is the protection of trans healthcare.

In his first term, Trump banned transgender people from joining the military, and there are fears that his new policies may extend this ban to include legal recognition from the State, gender-affirming healthcare, and transitioning treatments.

He recently promised to tackle so-called “transgender insanity” in the education system, and further restrict transgender people from playing sport.

 

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Protest rights

The US has always had a heavy police presence at rallies and protests, but Trump’s win could increase the power authorities have at peaceful protects.

Anti-protest laws could lead to the quelling of countless demonstrations around the country as punishments are increased or introduced for those who choose to attend.

Such laws would affect expected demonstrations concerning all of the above issues, as well as those on police violence against Black people, race based injustices, climate change, and more.

Climate change

As well as repeatedly and incorrectly dubbing climate change “a hoax,” Trump has announced plans to further slow down the climate plan put in place by Joe Biden.

Project 2025 wants to strength the country’s oil and gas usage, which will only increase the US’s emissions ahead of Paris 2030.

Trump said if elected, he wanted to “drill, baby, drill” – a move that could be catastrophic for the next generation.

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